Heat of the Moment
by Moon's Tear
Summary: Kate is walking along the beach, thinking about Jack and the sun gets to be a bit too much. Insights into Kate and Jack. Please review!


**Heat of the Moment**

Kate is walking along the beach, thinking about Jack and the sun gets to be a bit too much. Insights into Kate and Jack with some Sawyer and Boone. Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lost, which sucks, but that's life. Whoever said life was fair had obviously never written fan fiction.

Heat of the Moment

Kate stared out at the ocean and reveled in the feeling of the cool water as it lapped up over her feet while she walked. The beach wasn't her favorite hangout, but for some reason today she felt inclined to walk rather than sit in a tree. Kate thought about Jack. The ocean reminded her of his eyes. It was deep, powerful and mysterious, yet strangely comforting and gentle. Just like Jack could be. Kate smiled inwardly at the thought. He had been running through her mind a lot lately. Kate saw him every day; she talked with him and opened up to him. He did the same for her. Kate's feelings for him were being tempest tossed. She was beginning to feel something for him she hadn't felt before, for him or for anyone else. She had seen it coming, the change in emotion, but hadn't been prepared for it. Hell, she wasn't sure she would ever be. Kate decided just to take it all in a stride. She would have to face Jack at some point, and when she did she would have to say something. If she didn't, Kate was sure she would spontaneously combust. She knew it was from her feelings, but most of the survivors would beg to differ. After all, the midday sun on the island was hot enough to make frying fish on rocks possible. Kate squinted into the sunlight and suddenly began to feel a little dizzy. She brought a hand up to her forehead and moaned.

"What the hell," she wondered aloud.

At that moment Kate felt someone approaching her from behind. She didn't bother turning around, she knew the person's aura well enough not to have to see him to identify him.

"You okay, Freckles?" Sawyer asked.

"I'm fine, Sawyer," Kate snapped.

She didn't feel like dealing with him. All she wanted to do was be alone while she strode along the beach and sorted out her feelings for Jack. Sawyer shrugged and walked ahead of her. He knew that when she got into a mood like this she wasn't one to tangle with. Still, there was a part of him that wanted to stick around and bother her. It was just what he did.

Kate suddenly began to feel faint. She swayed on her feet for a moment before collapsing almost soundlessly on the soft white sand. Kate felt no more.

Sawyer stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a soft thud in the sand behind him. He slowly turned around and found Kate face down, sprawled out on the beach. He ran back over to her and bent down, trying to shake her awake.

"Come on, Freckles, get up," Sawyer said firmly.

She wouldn't budge. At that point, Sawyer freaked out. He looked around frantically, trying to find someone to help. He spotted Boone bushwhacking a ways down the shore and called out to him.

"Hey Boone! _Boone! _God damn it get your ass over here!" Sawyer yelled.

The thirty seconds it took Boone to run across the stretch of beach to reach them seemed like an eternity. He kneeled down beside Kate's lifeless body and looked up at Sawyer inquisitively.

"What happened?" Boone asked.

"I don't know, she just kind of passed out. We have to get her to the doc," Sawyer said worriedly. "Help me carry her."

Boone nodded and the carefully picked Kate up off of the sand, carrying her between themselves. They rushed over to the caves and burst in around the corner. Jack looked up from where he was digging through his backpack and rushed over to them the second he spotted Kate in their arms. He took her from them and laid her down on one of the airplane seats they had salvaged from the wreckage.

"What happened to her?" Jack asked.

"She was walking along the beach and she just kind of passed out," Sawyer replied.

Jack glared at him and it made Sawyer uneasy. Boone stepped closer to where Jack was fawning over Kate.

"Anything I can do to help?" Boone inquired.

"Get me a few bottles of cold water and some cloth," Jack replied.

He looked down at Kate and quickly surveyed her situation. Her breathing was shallow, her pulse was thready and her fever was likely pushing 104. Suddenly Kate started convulsing.

"Damn it!" Jack shouted.

Boone returned with the cloth and water bottles. He stood next to Sawyer, looked down at the scene and worried for Kate.

"What's going on?" Sawyer asked.

"She's got heatstroke and she's having a febrile seizure! We have to cool her down before it causes permanent, irreversible brain damage," Jack instructed.

Jack picked Kate up again and carried her over to the waterfall. Jack quickly waded into the water. It was still cool with the night's atmosphere. The sun hadn't risen high enough to heat the water directly yet. Jack thanked God for that. He immersed Kate in the water up to her neck and her convulsions soon subsided. Once Jack was sure her body temperature had dropped to a safer degree he pulled her out of the water and carried her back to the infirmary cave. He took the cloths that Boone had brought him and soaked them in the cool bottled water. Jack then placed them on Kate's forehead, neck and chest to cool her down some more. The whole time there was a nagging voice at the back of his head.

'You're going to lose her, Jack, just like you lost your other patient…' the voice echoed.

"No I won't! I didn't lose her, you did!" Jack muttered furiously.

Boone and Sawyer looked at him concernedly. He was talking to himself. Sawyer thought back to the day he had met Jack's father in the bar. Like father like son, he supposed. Sawyer didn't know the exact story behind what had happened between Jack and his father but he supposed that it had something to do with the death of a patient. If anything happened to Kate, Sawyer would be left to pick up the pieces that Jack would surely fall apart into. He hated the doc, well, maybe not hated, but he didn't dislike him enough to want something to happen to Kate just to spite him. No, if anything happened to Kate, Sawyer would be picking up pieces of himself alongside the doc. Boone and Sawyer watched Jack intently as he continued to try and revive Kate.

"Come on Kate, open your eyes," Jack persuaded.

She lay motionless on the reclined airplane seat. Jack continued to slowly pour cool water over the compresses he had placed on her body. He worked tirelessly to do what he could to keep her comfortable. All the while, Boone and Sawyer stared at him in awe. Both of them knew that if they had been in his situation, they would have run for the hills at top speed. They both admired Jack for his perseverance and level headedness. It took a real man to do what he did. At that moment, Jack turned around to face them. Worry creased his features and made him look older than his thirty something.

"Will she be okay?" Sawyer asked somberly.

"She's hanging in there, but only time will tell. There's nothing you can do for her here so why don't you go and take your minds off of this," Jack suggested.

"What about you?" Boone inquired.

"I'll be fine. I have to stay with her until she comes around," Jack replied.

The two other men nodded and slowly left the caves. There was a definite droop in their posture and a heaviness in their steps. Both men knew the odds that Kate would come out of this unscathed. They knew, but they also had faith. In Jack, in Kate and in God. They prayed for her and for him as they continued to go about their daily routines with heavy hearts. They refused to create a panic amongst the other survivors, so they kept the situation to themselves.

Jack stared unblinkingly at Kate whilst continually refreshing the supply of cool water he poured over her body. She was still unconscious but at least she was stable. Her fever had come down and her vitals were stronger. He wondered how much damage had been done in the time that she had been unconscious primarily. Jack prayed that she was only recuperating from the fever, not other complications of heatstroke.

Kate felt weak and dizzy. She felt numb, weightless. She also felt a cool heaviness on her skin and a soothing, delicate touch as something silky, water, she thought, ran down her arms and her sides. She wanted to open her eyes but her head hurt too much. Kate heard a quiet beckoning voice calling her to consciousness. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the man hovering over her. It was Jack. She smiled weakly and grimaced in the pain that facial expression brought. Kate swallowed thickly and tried to sit up. She felt Jack's warm hand on her shoulder, forcing her back down against the cushioned seat.

"Just lay there for a few minutes until the dizziness passes. Here, drink some water," Jack instructed.

Kate did as she was told. Jack let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding until Kate came around. He thanked God that it looked like she would be okay after all. Jack wrapped a supportive arm around Kate's shoulders and helped her to sit up a little as he brought the bottle to her lips and she drank the cool water. The liquid cooled her throat and immediately made her feel a little better. She was beginning to think more clearly. After a few more sips of water, Kate began to feel nauseous and pushed the bottle away. Jack obliged and allowed her to lie back again.

"Come on, Kate, open your eyes," he beckoned.

Kate did so and squinted the bright sunlight out of her eyes. Jack shielded the light out of her eyes and leaned in closely to examine them with a penlight. Her pupils were dilating normally and there seemed to be no neurological deficit. Jack thanked God that nothing had happened to Kate when she had collapsed and convulsed. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and Kate smiled back weakly, still blinking the light out of her eyes. She was beginning to feel better and so she pulled herself up into a sitting position. Jack supported her as she swayed slightly. She still felt a little weak from exhaustion. Jack handed Kate a bottle of water while he took another and poured fresh, cool water over the compresses he had placed on her body. Kate shivered at the cold water but reveled in the feeling of Jack's hands as he adjusted the cloth.

"Just relax until you get your strength back," Jack stated.

"What happened?" Kate finally asked.

"You fainted on the beach. Boone and Sawyer brought you here and you convulsed. I managed to get your body temperature down to acceptable levels but I'd still prefer it if you stayed out of the sun, at least for today. Heatstroke is not to be taken lightly," Jack said softly.

"Thank you, Jack," Kate said lightly.

Jack smiled again and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"We still need to get you hydrated and bring your temperature down all the way," Jack stated. "I want you to relax while I quickly examine you, okay?"

Kate agreed with an almost imperceptible nod of her head. Jack kept one of his hands on her shoulder as he used the other to gently grasp Kate's wrist and feel her pulse. She knew that it would start to race at even the first hint of Jack's touch, but there wasn't much she could do to prevent that. Kate waited patiently as Jack focused intently on the task at hand. He kept his eyes trained on hers whilst checking her pulse. Kate averted her eyes and blushed. Jack was intelligent and he was sure to figure something out if she wasn't careful. Kate had always been bad at hiding her feelings. It was a curse that usually ended up getting her hurt in some way. A few seconds later, Jack had finished and let go of her wrist. Kate breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your pulse is a little fast, but it's stronger than it was, so that's good. Your breathing is improving, too," Jack stated. "Any pain, dizziness, weakness?"

"I've got a headache, a little bit of weakness," Kate said hesitantly.

"That's not surprising after an episode like you just had. I'll give you some aspirin for the pain," Jack said softly.

"I hate being weak," Kate muttered.

Jack looked at her in commiseration. He knew how hard it must have been for Kate not to be at her prime. At least she was safe now. Jack stood up and retrieved the aspirin for her, handing her two tablets. Kate took them and swallowed them with some water. She then put down the water bottle and leaned her head back against the seat as she waited for the aspirin to take effect. Jack put his hand up to her forehead and then brought it down to her cheek. Her fever was slowly dropping. Kate was initially startled by the touch without warning, but she tried to play for cool.

"Your fever's coming down," Jack commented.

"My head feels better, too," Kate replied.

"Good," Jack said lightly.

Jack picked up one of the cloth compresses, now almost dry, and poured fresh, cool water on it until it was soaked. After wringing out the excess he gently placed the cloth on Kate's forehead. She gasped at the initial coolness but soon got used to it and enjoyed the feeling of the cold water cascading down her cheeks from the compress. Jack took another cloth and after soaking it held it to the back of Kate's neck. She brought her hand up to hold it in place as Jack prepared the last compress. He placed this one on her chest, just above her tank top. Kate did her best not to gasp as his fingers traced over her sensitive, feverish chest. She appreciated his soft, professional touch. Kate opened her eyes and met Jack's concerned, green eyed gaze.

"What's that look you're giving me now, Dr. Sheppard?" Kate asked.

Jack laughed. She had called him by his last name. It was something he hadn't heard in a long time, especially with the MD attached. It reminded him of home, of his friends, his family. It brought back all sorts of memories. Some good, some not so good and some downright horrible. Kate looked at him as she waited for an answer.

"It's nothing, Kate," Jack replied nonchalantly.

The truth was that Jack didn't know how much longer he could look at Kate before he kissed her. He was quickly falling for her and there was nothing he could do to distance himself from his feelings for her. Instead Jack stood up and walked over to the niche in the cave wall, busying himself with rearranging his various supplies and things. Kate watched him as he bustled around the cave, keeping himself busy. She wondered if he could ever feel for her what she felt for him. She doubted it, however. He was a consummate professional bound by the Hippocratic Oath. He couldn't let himself get involved with a patient. Not that Kate considered herself to be his patient. On the contrary, they were merely friends. Jack was just being a nice guy. Still, there was that persistent doubt at the back of her mind. Jack wasn't the type to let his feelings get in the way of anything, much less his professionalism. After a few minutes filled with a tense silence and a palpable tension Jack returned to sit beside Kate.

"Better?" He asked.

"Yeah, the aspirin kicked in," Kate replied.

Jack smiled and removed the compresses from Kate's body. He put his hand up to her cheek and held it there for what to most people would have been a moment too long. However, Kate reveled in the feeling of his flesh against hers. She found herself turning her face toward Jack and nuzzling her cheek into his hand. Jack moved his hand up and stroked the top of her head. Kate looked at him and immediately turned a brilliant shade of crimson. She didn't know what to say to break the terse silence, so she let Jack speak instead.

"The good news is that your fever is gone," Jack said with a cool indifference.

He was trying to mask his feelings. A look of hurt momentarily flashed across Kate's features and flared in her eyes before stoicism overtook her features again. Jack knew that his tone had left room for thought on her part, but he didn't know what to do to change that. He didn't know what to do about Kate if he didn't know how she felt. Jack decided to re-check Kate's pulse now that she had had a chance to rest for a little while. He brought a hand up to her neck and placed his middle and index fingers expertly on her carotid artery. Kate knew that there was no escape from his ministrations. Even if she wanted to run and never look back she wouldn't have made it very far. She still felt a little bit weak and dizzy from the heatstroke. She settled on faking nervousness when Jack inquired about her rocketing vitals. Jack quickly finished checking her heart rate and desisted with his insistent survey of Kate's progress.

"Your pulse is pretty fast, Kate. Are you sure you're okay?" Jack inquired.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just never been a fan of examinations. I used to avoid doctors like the plague," Kate joked nervously. "Believe me, it's nothing personal and I'm sure as hell not doubting your professionalism."

Jack laughed at her statement. It also made him think. He knew she was only human with fears and dislikes, but hearing it from her just made her seem that much more real to him. She could be hurt just like any other person and had been many times. Jack made a pact with himself that he would shield her from pain as best as he could. She was a fiercely independent woman but even she needed a protector. Jack decided he would be there for here one hundred percent, no matter what.

Kate looked at Jack. He was deep in thought and seemed concentrated on something just out of his reach. Kate herself was concentrated on such a thing. The problem was that Kate's object of obsession was within immediate reach but was still untouchable. Kate suddenly felt a wave of tiredness over come her. She closed her eyes and decided to rest for just a few minutes. She tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. Her vain attempt seemingly snapped Jack out of his reverie. He looked her over appraisingly before speaking.

"Why don't you sleep for a little bit? You'll feel better when you wake up," Jack suggested softly.

"Wake me up in a couple of hours, okay?" Kate asked.

"I promise," Jack said honestly.

"Thank you, Jack," Kate said. "For saving me."

"You're a fighter, Kate. I wasn't about to let you go that easily," Jack replied.

Kate gave a hollow laugh and closed her eyes, smiling slightly. Jack watched her as she slowly drifted off. Her breathing quickly evened out and she was at peace, at least for a while. A few hours later, Jack decided that if he woke her up she would only want to get back to work and she wasn't in any condition to do so. Instead, Jack let Kate sleep through the heat of the day. He didn't want her going out and falling into a relapse. In the meantime, Jack went about his chores, occasionally checking on his patient.

Kate woke up several hours later just in time to see the sun shrink down beyond the horizon. A faint purple glow highlighted the sky and mesmerized her momentarily. She realized that Jack had let her oversleep. Kate sat up but immediately sank back against the seat as she realized she had done so too quickly. The insistent dizziness still clouded her senses and blocked out the world like mosquito netting. Kate relaxed for a moment. Jack heard her attempts at movement from the other side of the cave and walked over to her, placing a plate of freshly cooked fish and sliced fruit in front of her.

"Hey, good morning sleeping beauty. I thought you'd sleep clear through the night. How are you feeling?" Jack asked.

"Fine," Kate replied.

"Good. Come on, eat. You need nourishment if you want to get your strength back," Jack instructed.

Kate threw him a sideways glance before picking lazily at the food in front of her. She still wasn't feeling very hungry. The nausea threatened a return visit if she ate too quickly. Jack handed her a bottle of water, which she took and sipped from gratefully. Kate slowly finished eating and put the plate down on the ground beside her, next to the water bottle. She looked up into the night sky. Twilight had long gone and all that was visible were the stars. The cave was lit by a faint glow from a dying fire. Jack stood up and threw some more wood on the pyre. Soon it was bright in the caves again. Jack returned to Kate's side and sat down. He placed his hand on her forehead for a moment before resting it back down in his lap.

"Well, Kate, it looks like you're going to make a full recovery. How did you sleep?" Jack inquired.

"Very well, actually, but you broke your promise. You were supposed to wake me up after a couple of hours," Kate reprimanded jokingly.

"Tell me. What would you have done if I did wake you up? You're not quite ready to go off climbing any trees yet," Jake said.

"I was going to go back to the beach, maybe go swim for a while," Kate corrected him.

"Well, it's still not a good idea for you to be exerting yourself. We'll see how you're doing tomorrow. I want you to stay here tonight so I can keep an eye on you. You could have a delayed reaction from the heatstroke and I would feel better if you were nearby," Jack explained.

Kate rolled her eyes and agreed with a nod.

"What time is it?" She asked Jack.

"Almost midnight," he replied.

Kate stopped a moment to listen to the sounds of the night. It was completely silent. Water trickling from the waterfall echoed around in the caves. Everyone else was already asleep. Soft snores were barely discernable among the sounds of the water and the chirping crickets. Kate loved the night. It hid everything. It hid emotions, it allowed for the peace of sleep and the shelter of dreams. However, there was one dream that Kate didn't have to be asleep to be living. She looked at Jack. He was looking thoughtfully up into the dark sky.

Kate couldn't help it anymore. She reached over and lightly placed her hand on his forearm. Jack looked down slowly and met her gaze. There was a flame of desire flickering in her eyes which mirrored his own. Jack covered Kate's petite hand with his own larger one. She smiled slightly and got a sincere smile in return. Jack moved closer to her, closing the gap between them. They were so close Kate could feel Jack's breath on her cheek and the warmth radiating from his body. Kate closed her eyes and leaned in, meeting Jack's soft lips. She could taste the mingled fear and desire on him. It was a familiar and yet completely new taste. They kissed fervently with unrivaled passion. The night was warmed by their want and need. They pulled apart only after they were both breathless. Jack stayed close to Kate, his forehead against hers. His pulse was now racing with the celerity of a stallion.

"Kate, I-," Jack began but was cut off by Kate's finger on his lips.

"Don't say anything, Jack. I've wanted to do that for a long time now and judging from your response so have you. Where does this leave us?" Kate asked.

Jack had to think for a moment. He was still recovering from the kiss. It took him a while until his brain was able to form the words that would cascade off of his lips.

"I don't know, I don't think there are words in the English language sufficient enough to say what I'm thinking. It's a good thing, I assure you," Jack stuttered breathlessly.

Kate smiled and kissed Jack again. This kiss was short and loving, not long and needy like the first one. It was gentle, like the twinkling of the stars. Kate realized she had just started something wonderful for the both of them. Jack was thankful that Kate had made the first move. He didn't know if he would have it in him to do it, despite how much he really felt for her. Jack pulled away and held one of Kate's hands in his. He used his free hand to brush a few stray strands of hair back behind her ear. He couldn't help but smile when he looked at her. She was beautiful and when she slept she looked like a fallen angel. Her mahogany hair all spread out over the pillow framed her face and accented her cheeks. Her skin was soft and reminded Jack of silk, especially when her feather light touch fluttered over his body. Jack smiled as he spoke.

"You should get some sleep. There will be plenty of time to carry on this talk tomorrow," Jack whispered.

Kate yawned and agreed. She closed her eyes and felt the cool breeze run over her bare arms. Kate shivered, which Jack immediately noticed. He was about to go fetch a blanket when he decided that he had a better idea. Jack moved closer to Kate and put and arm around her waist. She automatically turned towards him, snuggling into his embracing warmth. Jack pulled her as close to him as he could so that they were touching at every possible point. He rubbed her arms comfortingly to warm her up as she drifted off to sleep. As her breathing evened out Jack found himself falling asleep. He could feel her heart beat as she snuggled even closer to him in her sleep. Jack smiled and kissed the top of her head one final time before falling asleep.

They dreamt of what dawn would bring and all of the possibilities that would come with life on the island. Rescue suddenly didn't seem like a priority anymore. Not since they had each other now…

* * *

_A.N.: Wow, my second ever 'Lost' fanfic. I wrote this one after discussing the characters with a friend and deciding that Jack's professional side doesn't get enough screen time on the show. Please tell me what you think. All reviews are welcomed with open arms! Thanks a million! -Julia-_


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